HTML5 ARTICLE

HTML5 and Monetization: Relax, Good Wine Takes Time

I was taught that patience was a virtue. And as the title of this says, I have always resonated with the notion that it takes time for a good wine to become a great one. The optimist in me also believes that “good things come to he/she who waits.” Thus, it was with some bemusement that I read the recent item from Mashable’s Edith Yeung, 5 Reasons HTML5 Apps are Hard to Monetize.

Seems that patience is not a virtue when looking at tech trends that early in the hype curve were being touted as disruptive everything sooner rather than later but are taking their time getting going.

Not that this is anything wrong with that…

First, let me give credit where it is due. Ms Yeung’s list of five challenges actually is spot on, though the words “for the moment” might have been a nice addition. It is in fact accurate that:

It is hard to discover where to get the apps

Support is not just limited but can be almost impossible to obtain

Advertising networks are in a nascent stage at best

No, a standard HTML5 payment framework does not exist

Yes, right now HTML5 apps are currently not in consumer’s comfort zones

All of that said, however, the reality is that the “write once, deploy everywhere” model for HTML5 value for use in the cloud is compelling. For starters, just ask Apple (News - Alert) who supports HTML5 and Amazon whose Kindle Fire is based on it. In fact, here is what Amazon Kindle director Dorothy Nicholls had to say when the product was released:

We have written the application from the ground up in HTML5, so that customers can also access their content offline directly from their browser. The flexibility of HTML5 allows us to build one application that automatically adapts to the platform you’re using – from Chrome to iOS.

To be honest, I refer back to my long-time subject matter on what to do when faced with early market challenges. I am referring to none other than Mad Magazine poster boy Alfred E. Neuman.

Given the interest of the above mentioned heavyweights, all of the problems cited above are going to melt away.

Why am I so confident? The reason is the history of tech industry innovation starting way back with the telephone and going up through e-mail, chat, and virtually every market that involves interactions of any kind, is that proprietary solutions eventually give way to user demands for interoperability and ease of use.

HTML5 will be no different. Critical mass will be reached assuring there is support and payment options that are easy to use. Enterprises for a variety of reasons will look at HTML5 app stores of their own as a good way to calm fears about BYOD compromising their security. And, consumers will adjust once the hype curve runs its course and the real value is perceived not just in ease of use but in business models and customer experiences that are consumer friendly.

Will it be in the next few months? Not likely. However, it is coming and coming on strong. But please do not take my word for it. A fascinating DevCon5 event just took place in New York City where the excitement of not just the apps but the market opportunity and potential was palpable.

Want to learn more about HTML5? Then be sure to attend HTML5 Summit- a DEVCON5 Event, collocated with ITEXPO West 2012 taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. HTML5 has the potential to revolutionize user interfaces, challenge the status quo and change the future of both desktop and mobile Web experiences. Join fellow Web developers, designers, and architects, as well as technology leaders and business strategists who will gather in Austin to learn strategies and tactics to implement and execute HTML5. For more information on registering for the HTML5 Summit click here.